Para

If he was found not guilty by the criminal court the other side can appeal the decision the the appeal courts. They have 30 days to lodge the appeal BUT they can ask the courts for an additional 30 days up to 3 times so they have 120 days from criminal court judgement to lodge the appeal.

It generally takes 1 year for a case to go to the criminal courts but an appeal will take at least 1 year and up to 3 years to be heard.

If the appeal court overturns the initial criminal courts findings either party can take it to the supreme court.

So it seems found not guilty initially but appeal lodged. They can not bypass the appeal court and go straight to the supreme court.

'the monk was named in his identification book as Phra Boonmee Pasanajitto'

More like Phra Boon mai mee!

Please don't quote me but I heard from locals that if proven it is a 50 year Jail sentence I hope the sentence is correct 50 years. I wouder how his back end will feel after a week I heard the prisons here are the same as the west they do not like child molesters , and they are not put in protective custody .

Depends on his connections and how deep his pockets are. There was a report of a Farang who was arrested a few years back for statutory rape of a 12 year old and he is still walking the streets......

I was walking down Soi Paniad Chang last year about 5am to the bus station when I remember thinking 'that bike is close to me' next thing I was on the floor where they tried to grab my back pack off me.

What surprised me was they then stopped the bike, got off and walked back to me ended up fighting both of them. I'm 6' and 100kg's but that didn't deter them.......

Where does the "possible drug overdose" theory come from .

Its a classic BiB tactic. Blame it on drugs so no investigation needed

Case closed.

Why? Because one doesn't get arrested for "boxing" in Thailand. Assault is a farang concept. One can punch anybody else, then, make some lies at the police station that the violence was both ways and all what they do is to ask both parties to pay 1,000 THB. So, maybe the Russians knew that before, didn't like the business people for some reason and decided to teach them a lesson.

While it certainly used to be 1000THB for Farrang fighting that was a very long while ago. the BiB's caught on there was a lot more money to be made squeezing them under threat of prosecution.

I can't speak of any of the countries in Europe; however, after spending 6 years in Thailand and with a GF and kids most of the time, I couldn't wait to leave. I completely get what Para is saying. I was in Para's position of not being able to come back due to not having a job and not affording to leave the one I had in Thailand. It was 2 years of prospecting and waiting out the crappy economy until I got an awesome company to hire me over Skype. The job is in a beach community just north of San Diego, California. I was very concerned about the cost of living, the SoCal culture, and the possibility that America had changed so much I'd be very disappointed and regretting the move back when I got here (I hadn't visited in that 6 yrs).

Well, unbelievable, the people, weather, streets (I bike to work), beaches, cleanliness, business attitudes, far cheaper rents and food than I ever expected, sense of community, endless activities, parks, nightlife, big name entertainment, dozens and dozens of microbrews, beach runs, endless mountain biking trails out my front door, 2 hours to snowboarding, 30+ year old California women that make 30+ year old Thai women (assuming you get married and don't spend your entire remaining life chasing lowlife bar girls) look like soi dog meat, and on and on and on.

Everyday when I ride my bike to work (and I'm 59) I am so thankful that I don't have to be on edge ready to die dodging the crazy F'n drivers in Thailand. I went to a popular outdoor sports store and bought mtn running shoes. I wore them for 3 months about 40 times, but I bought them half-size too small. I went to buy a second pair and the guy said to bring the first ones back, no questions guarantee of satisfaction. He said if I had wore them for a year or even longer, it would be the same. Now try and find that kind of business in Thailand. When I went through immigration flying into LAX, the immigration police chatted with me and sincerely welcomed me back when I mentioned I had been gone a long time. Get that at immigration in Thailand. When my Issan fiance (we are applying for a Fiance visa right now to get her and the kids to eventually be US citizens) goes to Robinson's makeup counter, she can't even get waited on (I make six-figures and she shows it). In the US, she will be equal to everyone else and my kids won't have to grow up with the kind of F'd up prejudice found in Thailand.

If I was rich, I'd pay for Para to live her just so he could get out as I did. I can't image the kind of crap hole all of the rest of you came from to think Thailand is an up tick. Now, if you come from a really messed up country (fortunately, despite its problems, the US ain't one), then I feel sorry for you too. But if your home country is not messed up, I can't imagine you staying in Thailand for any reason than cheap kittie(synonym), and if that's it, then you are the kind of person who probably doesn't care about community or quality of life anyhow.

gohmer that's a kind and sincere post but I am currently a Monk here (through choice) with a job waiting for me in London when I go back next year. I guess after so long here I will really see things in a different light when returning home just as you have. Sure I came from a crap hole back home but at least it was my crap hole!

Had to laugh at the trainers story nothing like a goof old Thai guarantee is there?

Thank you again.

With metta.

If one looks at other countries, the same trend has been around for some time. Cities being the worst for lack of community / neighborly...

I feel for the 'older' guys who come over and move up country guess that must be pretty hard at times.

Its been over 10 years since I have been in the UK and I dare say things are, as you say the same there.....

'Nearly 5,000 drunk drivers were sentenced to community service or probation'

Awesome deterrent Thailand........

I-mobile have a decent range of phones with ICS from 4995b up to 6995b.

I'm using the Q6 and can confirm Skype works perfect.

I also have a 2nd hand Wellcom A90+ for 1700b. Basic but OK. Skype works for IM and voice but no front camera. Pm if interested.

sent from my Q6

Thanks for the recommendation I bought her a Q6 and she loves it!

Cheers.

Speechless........

Worst thing is its looking like he will get away with it. Hopefully 'local' justice will dealt out.

Safe journey Nong.

Hang on correct me if I am wrong but the first report of this stated the following......

The Phuket News reported that Mr Faulkner sought medical assistance from a hospital on December 30, but "left without anyone noticing"

But now its being reported......

“The doctor examined him and diagnosed him with minor depression. The doctor suggested that he rest at the hospital until he felt better.

Hospital C.Y.A. or saving face?

He was very white when he came out.

What around the nasal area? ;-)

"Unless he suffered from a mental condition" Which he did according to the reports.

Sorry the way I read it he was suffering from hallucinations and went to the hospital 'but "left without anyone noticing".' There are many ways to hallucinate with out suffering a mental condition. No judgement just an observation.

His mates told the coppers he was hallucinating.

Nice mate! They know their friend is in trouble regardless of cause and leave him alone?

police said he may have suffered an hallucination that drove him to jump from the building.

Wasa not directed at you but how on earth can police make such a comment without a toxicology screen? Unless he suffered from a mental condition hence the hospital visit but if the doctors were to garner that much info how can they let him leave without help????

Oh sorry now I get it. Lets blame drug taking tourists regardless that way no investigation needed.

Another life lost.

R.I.P.

It's easy to avoid conflict if you always back away from any hint of it, or if you don't endeavor to step out and try new things. However, I've visitied and resided in Thailand a few years longer than you, and I can't say the same re; conflicts. Though the vast majority of my interactions with Thais have been civil and/or pleasant, I can cite some anomolies:

>>>> A Thai man continually parked on my lawn. I asked him not to. He persisted. We got in a face off, with him waving a handsaw in my face. I didn't back down. He did. He never parked on my lawn again.

>>>> A Thai next door neighbor had two little dogs. One barked incessently - woke me up every early morning (3 to 4 am) for 7 years. I shouted at the neighbor's house to deal with it (talking didn't get any response). He came at me once, tried to kick me, and missed. The dog died a mysterious death. End of problem.

....when dealing with rude people with 7 year old emotional maturity, you have a choice to continually avoid dealing with annoyances, OR, you can sometimes take a stance - and face the consequences. I choose the latter. Note the word 'sometimes'. I've got other Thai neighbors who are very loud (radio, etc) and some which toss trash around, but I most often don't say anything about it. So, though I sound like a hot-head, I most often don't even mention blatant rudeness I encounter in Thailand. P.s. I don't drink.

maidu the problem is it seems the majority of TV hand wringers are in their 60's and have never been in a situation that could involve violence. I will admit to having had more than a few run in's with Thai pack hunters and always stood my ground. Admitting this will I dare say get a few negative comments but where I was brought up you never ran away and living in Pattaya for the 9 years that I did the Thai's soon learned that.......

Do you really need to ask?

The question was rhetorical my bad for not making it clearer for you

Probably because foreigners make something like 0.00001 % of the population.

Current population of Thailand just a tad under 70,000,000.

Taken from Richard Burrows site tourists for 2011 fraction over 19,000,000 which is almost 30% (fairly basic maths IMO)

Would you make a sign in Thai in your home country?

A sarcastic reply would be Thailand is my home so the answer is yes. A constructive reply is simple. How many languages are spoken in the UK now? South London where I am from has signs in foreign languages in foreign owned shops to attract foreign customers. Economics 101.

No because Thai is a single nation language whereas English is the first language of many nations and the second language for a multitude of other nations... You can't compare apples and oranges...

richard_smith237 - Thank you you taking up the education required on the comments above. Whilst the General Forum is a constant source of entertainment for me it is also the one where people seem to take pleasure in non constructive and simple lack of thought posts simply to massage their ego's.......

An utterly disrespectful post laced with nonsense speculation has been removed.

+1

I read what SGD as he quoted me.

Regardless of circumstance what a horrible tragedy.

May the karma of their recent life elevate them in the next.....

You don't believe that people, guilty of a crime or not, should be treated as human beings then?

Spare me days another hand wringing, social engineer. Most of these convicted criminals did not respect the human rights of their victims!

Spare me the arrogance and ignorance that Thai police and judicial system has 0% corruption...........